Ask an Expert: Why Use a Cloud-Based Real Estate CRM?

cloud-based CRMToday I’m happy to bring some insight to you from IXACT Contact partner and real estate expert Jennifer Allan-Hagedorn.  She fields questions from Agents on a regular basis, and during a recent webinar, she was asked this question by an agent, “Why use a cloud-based real estate CRM when you can use a paper day planner?.  It might be something that’s been on your mind too, so read on to hear what Jennifer has to say about how to stay organized as a person who likes to keep things in paper and hard copy form but is drawn to cloud based CRM software.

The Agent Asks:

“I love the idea of having automated to-do lists. But I’m an Agent who is a “paper person” so maintaining online to do’s lists & calendars has been a challenge for me. Any suggestions?”

Jennifer Says:

Jennifer Allan-HagedornAbsolutely! I am a paper person as well and for years I resisted the pressure to switch from my trusty Franklin Day Planner to a Personal Digital Assistant (PDA) or CRM for real estate agents.  Now I have embraced technology and found a balance that works for my business. And you know what? I still use my paper Franklin Planner every day and have no plans to get rid of it (ever).

That said, I also use the Task Feature in IXACT Contact CRM every single day and I love it. Here’s the process that works for me.

I load up all my “recurring” tasks in my IXACT Contact task manager. A recurring task is something that I need to do over and over, either in my business or my personal life. For example, send out a mass email every six weeks or change my furnace filters every three months. And of course, when I was an active real estate agent, I used the task manager to manage all the tasks associated with my transactions, as well as the transaction-specific dates and deadlines.

Every morning I go into my IXACT Contact task manager and see what’s on the list to do today and if it needs to be written down in my planner, that’s what I do! If it’s something I can do right then and there and mark it off as complete, no need to write it down.

Since IXACT Contact is a cloud based real estate CRM, you can access your tasks and calendar from any computer, tablet or smartphone.  This is great for the days when you forget your paper day planner on the kitchen counter when you’re rushing out the door!

Another thing to remember is that your to-do list is different from your calendar. Your calendar is your schedule of appointments; your to-do list is the tasks you need to get done. So, yes, you will have a separate calendar that you maintain ONLY for your appointments. IXACT Contact includes a robust calendar where each day’s appointments are highlighted on your homepage, while the full calendar lets you choose between daily, weekly, and monthly views.

Synchronizing your real estate CRM with your mobile devices is a great way to stay organized when you’re out on meetings and showing homes. IXACT Contact will remind you when you have an upcoming task or calendar appointment and keep all your database of contact information close at hand!

The important thing is to find a balance that works for you. Heaven forbid you lose your faithful paper day planner and don’t have an electronic record of your appointments.  Staying organized with IXACT Contact means you can use the CRM in the way that works best for you, and is a terrific complement to day planners for “paper people” like you and me!

Have you found the right balance for managing your tasks and calendar between paper your cloud based real estate CRM?  Let us know in the comments below!

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